Spectacle case



'Nov. 11, 19s2 B. GROSVENOR SPECTACLE CASE led Dec. 16, 1948 INVENTOR. BENJANHN GROSVENOR ATTORNEY '7 Patented Nov. 11, 1952 2,617,462 SPECTACLE CASE Benjamin Grosvenor, Pomfret, Conn., assignor to American Optical Company,

Southbridgc,

Mass., a voluntary association of Massachusetts Application December 16, 1948, Serial No. 65,659

2 Claims.

This invention relates to spectacle cases and has particular reference to cases of the type formed of sheet material folded so as to provide a receptacle for spectacles, and method of making same.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved spectacle case formed of leather, fabric, plastic or other suitable sheet material which can be shaped, folded and detachably secured in folded position, and method of making the same.

Another object is to provide a spectacle case of the above character which embodies a body of sheet material cut to the desired size and shape and folded so as to present overlapping front and back portions, said back portion being of greater length than said front portion and being folded to form a flap overlying said front portion, one of said portions having its ends extended and folded to overlap the outer surface of the other of said portions and detachably secured thereto.

Another object is to provide a spectacle case of the above character embodying a one-piece body element of a preferred material and of a preferred color, which element is folded to form the desired receptacle and secured in folded position by locking tabs which may be of contrasting material and/or color for decorative as well as reinforcing purposes.

Another object is to provide a spectacle case of the above character which can be formed of sheet material so shaped as to require the use of a minimum amount of material and adapted to be manufactured at relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in

which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the device illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the blank from which the major portion of the device is formed;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a strap used for securing the folded parts of the device in place;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear elevational view similar to Fig. 3 illustrating a modification of the embodiment shown in Figs. 1-5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the modified device; and

Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to F g. 5 of a strap u ed in t e od fi d device- Referring to the drawing wherein like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the several views, the preferred embodiment of the invention as shown in Fig. 4 comprises a one-piece body element formed of leather, fabric, plastic or other suitable flexible sheet material and consisting of a back panel portion I0, a front panel portion II of substantially the same width as the back panel, a tapering closure flap portion I2, and straps I3 extending from both ends of the front panel portion I I. The front panel portion II and back panel portion I9 are folded so that the fold will be located at the bottom to form a pouch or pocket andthe closure flap portion l2 folded downwardly in overlapping relation to the front surface of the front panel II as illustrated in Fig. 1. A snap fastener I4 such as a type embodying cooperating male and female elements fixedly carried by the front panel II and flap l2 serve to retain the-flap in closed relation.

To close the ends of the pouch formed by the front and back panels Ill and I I, the straps I3 are folded rearwardly to overlap the rear surface of the back panel It] and are secured thereto by vertically disposed locking tabs I5, the locking tabs I 5 being threaded through a pair of parallel longitudinal slits I6'formed near the ends of the straps I3 (Fig. 3), and havingenlarged end portions H which are adapted to proiect inwardly of the pouch through horizontal slits I8 formed in the back panel ID, the slits I8 being substantially shorter than the width of the end portions I! of the locking tabs I5, so that the tabs I5 will be held securely therein. The end portions I! of the tabs I5 may, of course, be formed to various shapes as desired. 7

The locking tabs I5 may be formed of a material and color similar to the major portion of the pouch but for providing reinforcing means for the back panel they may be formed of a different material if desired such, for example, as a light flexible metallic or plastic materialm Providing the tabs I5 in contrasting colorsto the pouch will also increase the decorative eifect to enhance the appearance of the final product.

A block I9 of suitable size and shape (Fig. 2) may be cemented or otherwise secured within the pouch to the front or back panel to partition the pouch for providing means for locating a pair of spectacles or the like in the pouch. The spectacles or the like in the pouch. The spectacles are placed in the pouch with the nose pads there of embracing the block I9 and the temples are folded into closed position with respect to the 3 lenses so that the spectacles will nest properly in the pouch. The block l9 serves as well to pro tect the spectacles from damage due to pressure which may be applied in closing the snap fastener [4.

The spectacle case illustrated in Figs. 6-8 is formed similarly to the preferred embodiment. However, in this construction the locking'tabs 29 are longer than the tabs l and have one end portion 2| secured to the back panel H] by the upper slits l8 while the tabs are brought beneath the pouch and folded into overlapping relation with the outer surface of the front panel I l of the pouch and have their other end portions 22 projecting through slits 23 in the front panel I l and held therein by their enlarged areas. The slits 23 are of a size and shape similar to the slits l8 but are located in the preformed blank substantially as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 4.

Thus, the locking tabs 29 are adapted to reinforce the front panel H as well as the rear panel I0 and when provided in contrasting color to the pouch provide a decorative effect on the front of the resultant case as well as on the rear.

The foregoing specification describes an improved spectacle case formed of sheet material having its various parts connected bysimple and efficient detachable connecting means, which connecting means provide reinforcing means for the case as well as decorative eifect therefor.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the formation and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A spectacle case of the character described comprising a main body member formed of flexible sheet material having two pairs of spaced aligned substantially arallel slits, one pair being disposed adjacent oneside of the body member and the other adjacent the opposite side thereof, and said body member being folded along a line intermediate its ends substantially parallel to said slits to form a pouch having front and rear walls, with one of said walls having strap-like extensions disposed outwardly from its opposed sides and wrapped about the open sides of said pouch with the ends thereof overlying the outer surface of the other wall, said ends each being located between the two slits of the adjacent pair and in spaced relation with the end of the strap-like extension wrapped about the other side of the pouch, said ends each having a pair of spaced slits disposed in substantially parallel aligned relation with the slits in the body member on opposed sides thereof, and separate tie members extending through the aligned slits of each end and terminating in enlargements, said enlargements extending within the slits in the body member on the opposed sides of said end, and having a dimension greater than that of the respective slit in the body member through which it is inserted whereby said tie members will function to detachably connect said ends of the strap-like extensions of the first wall to the wall over which they lie to maintain the body member in said folded relation.

2. A spectacle case of the character described comprising a main body member formed of flexible sheet material having its endportions folded along a air of substantially parallel fold lines to form a pouch, one of said end portions with the intermediate portion between the two fold lines embodying the front and rear walls of the pouch and the other end portion comprising a flap for the open top of the pouch, and connection means by which the said end portion comprising the flap may be detachably connected to the end portion constituting a wall of the pouch, with one of said walls being provided with two pairs of spaced aligned substantially parallel slits, one pair adjacent each side of said wall, and the other Wall having strap-like extensions disposed outwardly from its opposed sides and wrapped about the open sides of said pouch with the ends thereof overlying the outer surface of the other wall having the spaced pair of slits, said ends each being located between the two slits of the adjacent pair and in spaced relation with the end of the strap-like extension W apped about the other side of the pouch, said ends each having a pair of spaced slits disposed in substantially parallel aligned relation with the slits in the said wall on opposed sides thereof, and separate tie members extending through the aligned slits of each end and terminating in enlargements, said enlargements extending within the slits in the body member on the opposed sides of said end, and having a dimension greater than that of therespective slit in the body member through which it is inserted whereby said tie members will function to detachably connect said ends of the strap-like extensions of the first wall to the wall over which they lie to maintain the body member in said folded relation.

BENJAMIN GROSVENOR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ,of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 367,403 Jenks Aug. 2, 1887 1,212,594 White Jan. 16, 1917 2,434,121 Pence Jan. 6, 1948 2,440,552 Mittell e Apr. 27, 1948 2,451,122 Sherwood Oct. 12, 1948 2,473,292 Nathan June 14, 1949 2,478,269 Huttemeyer Aug. 9, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 199,846 Great Britain July 5, 1923 480,707 France June 16, 1916 

